Crepe stack with spinach, ham and blue cheese (Torta salata di palacinche)

Thin crepes can be easily stacked and made into a fancy-looking torte, either savoury or sweet. The dish looks complicated, but it is actually quite easy. All of the components can be made the day before, and the stack assembled just before baking, so it is a good dish to prepare when you are entertaining.

Crepe stack with spinach, ham and blue cheese (Torta salata di palacinche) Credit: Paola Bacchia

• serves

  6

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  45 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 1 large bunch English spinach
• 25 g unsalted butter
• ½ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
• sea salt
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 10 Savoury crepes (recipe below)
• ½ x quantity Béchamel sauce (recipe below)
• 100 g mild creamy blue cheese, finely chopped
• 180 g thinly sliced smoked ham, finely diced
• 50 g (½ cup) grated parmesan

Savoury crepes (Palacinche)

Makes 10–12

• 3 eggs
• 500 ml (2 cups) milk
• 225 g (1½ cups) plain flour
• sea salt
• 15–25 g unsalted butter

Béchamel sauce (Besciamella)

Makes about 550 ml

• 500 ml (2 cups) milk
• 60 g unsalted butter
• 60 g plain flour
• ¼ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
• sea salt

Resting time: 30 minutes

Instructions

1. To make the savoury crepes, whisk the eggs with the milk in a large jug and set aside.
2. Place the flour and a good pinch of salt in a large bowl. Pour in about half the liquid, whisking as you go, then pour in the rest of the liquid and whisk until smooth. Set aside for about 30 minutes in a cool spot.
3. Place a 21–23 cm non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon of the butter and swirl it around the pan to melt. Add a generous 60 ml (¼ cup) of batter, swirling it quickly so it evenly coats the surface, with just a small space at the edge so you can lift it up when you need to flip it over. It should take about 1 minute for the crepe to turn golden and the edge to lift slightly. Flip it over using a spatula or tongs and continue to cook for 30–40 seconds until cooked through. Place on a warmed plate and repeat with the remaining batter, adding a bit more butter when needed.
4. To make the béchamel sauce, warm the milk in a saucepan over medium heat, to just below boiling point. Set aside.
5. Place the butter in a second saucepan – one that will eventually fit all the milk – over low heat. Once the butter melts, take it off the heat and add the flour, whisking vigorously by hand to dissolve any lumps. Return to the heat and cook for a few minutes, or until the mixture turns golden.
6. Slowly pour in the hot milk, whisking as you go, to ensure the flour and butter mixture blends evenly into the milk without it burning on the base of the pan. Once all the milk has been added, exchange the whisk for a heatproof spoon and cook over low heat, stirring continuously, for about 5 minutes, or until the béchamel thickens.
7. Remove from the heat. Add the nutmeg and a good pinch of salt, tasting to make sure it is salty enough. Set aside to cool.
8. To make the crepe stack, rinse the spinach several times, removing any thick or damaged stalks. Place a large saucepan over medium–high heat, add the spinach (no need to drain) and allow to wilt, using tongs to push the spinach into the base of the pan.
9. Transfer the spinach to a colander set over a bowl, to cool and drain. Strain the liquid that collects in the bowl through a fine sieve or muslin (cheesecloth) and reserve this concentrated spinach stock for another use (such as a stock, soup, stew or spinach risotto). You should have about 250 g spinach. Finely chop the spinach using a sharp knife or mini food processor.
10. Melt 20 g of the butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Toss the spinach through the butter. Add the nutmeg and salt to taste, and stir through the breadcrumbs. Set aside to cool.
11. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). Line a baking tray with baking paper.
12. Place your first crepe on a work surface, then smear it with a generous tablespoon of béchamel. Scatter over one-third of the blue cheese.
13. Place your second crepe on top. Smear with a generous tablespoon of béchamel, then scatter over one-third of the ham.
14. Place your third crepe on top. Spoon over one-third of the spinach mixture and scatter with one-third of the parmesan.
15. Repeat until you have three layers of each of the three fillings. Place the final crepe on top, and brush it with the remaining butter, which should have softened.
16. Bake for 10 minutes, until the crepes are warmed through and the cheese has melted. The stack will be easier to slice once it has cooled slightly. To do this, transfer the stack, using the baking paper to help you, onto a chopping board. Once it has cooled further, slice into wedges using a sharp wide-bladed knife, cleaning the knife after you make each cut.

Notes

• This dish is also lovely at room temperature. If you have some left over, store it in the fridge in an airtight container (the ones made for cakes work really well). Take it out of the fridge a few hours before serving to bring it to room temperature. You can also gently reheat it in the oven for 10 minutes, covering the top with foil to stop it browning too much.

• Use the crepes in savoury recipes, or serve rolled up or folded with your favourite jam, or sprinkled with sugar and drizzled with freshly squeezed lemon juice.

• The crepes can easily be made 24 hours in advance and kept covered in the fridge. To reheat, stack five crepes on a plate, cover loosely with baking paper and microwave for about 1 minute, until warmed through.

• Many recipes will tell you to cover the surface of the béchamel with plastic wrap so that the air does not form a crust on top. However, I no longer use plastic wrap in the kitchen, and I have found that stirring it occasionally as it cools and then storing it in the fridge in a sealed container works fine. It lasts up to 3 days if stored correctly.

Istria: Recipes and stories from the hidden heart of Italy, Slovenia and Croatia by Paola Bacchia, published by Smith Street Books (RRP $55.00). Photography by Paola Bacchia.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.